ICT and Pedagogical Development Programme

The application is now open. Apply further down this page at the latest June 2.

Advanced international training programme on ICT and Pedagogical Development August – October, 2024, with one week visit to Sweden September 8-15.

Background

Sweden is a forerunner in application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in education and public use of digital social media, and for Swedish municipalities, schools and institutions of higher education ICT is an important factor in the process of change. Teachers and students use ICT and internet based resources at an extensive degree as support in teaching and learning. The goal is to give everybody in the educational system access to, and knowledge and skills about ICT, in order to make learning more inspiring, enjoyable, and efficient, thus enabling the students to achieve best possible results.
Sweden has become a world leader in sustainable development through a combination of strong government policies, innovative private sector initiatives, and a commitment to environmental and social responsibility. ICT and digital transformation are important factors contributing to a sustainable development in the society.

LIFE Academy is now arranging this advanced capacity development programme on ICT and Pedagogical Development based on Swedish as well as international experience and expertise.

Programme Description

Target group: Leaders and managers at teaching and learning institutions, educational developers and providers or similar functions.

This is a high level international capacity development programme for educational leaders and managers who aim to take an active role in developing their educational institution. The programme will provide knowledge and skills about ICT as an instrument to create improvements in administration, leadership, management and pedagogical development in the educational institution. The participants will be equipped with concrete methods and tools for identifying, planning and implementing a Change Initiative in the educational sector.

This exclusive training programme offers a highly collaborative learning environment where participants explore and learn from each other and from leading experts in the field of ICT and pedagogical development. The programme leans on Sweden’s outstanding position in terms of innovation, ICT development and digital transformation of the society taking sustainability aspects into consideration.

The training programme aims to create action oriented, courageous, and competent educational leaders and managers who have been provided with the right tools, knowledge, skills, motivation, and networks to confidently lead improvements and development of their educational institution in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

The specific objectives of the programme are to provide the participants with:

An overview of how ICT can be integrated in educational policies and strategies based on good practices from Sweden and other countries around the world
Increased knowledge of using ICT as a tool for pedagogical development and to promote quality education
Increased knowledge of methods and tools for organisational change in general, and in the educational system in particular
Expanded international, regional and local professional networks for the exchange of knowledge and experience of ICT in education

Around 30 participants from 5-10 different countries will be selected in each training group.

The Programme in Short

3 months in total
3 online webinars in the introductory phase
1 week programme in Sweden
2 online webinars in the final phase
Comprehensive online reading and video material for self-paced studies

BENEFITS FOR YOUR ORGANISATION:

Increased in-house competence and capacity about ICT and pedagogical development that will help achieve the organisational goals and activities
Opportunities for collaboration through an extensive international professional network
Highly motivated and capable staff capable of leading improvements and development of the educational institution in line with the Sustainable Development Goals

BENEFITS FOR YOU AS A PARTICIPANT:

Increased knowledge and understanding of methods and tools for ICT and pedagogical development
Increased skills and self-confidence in order to initiate change in the educational sector
A holistic understanding of opportunities and challenges in the educational sector and practical experience from how to handle them in line with the Sustainable Development Goals
Access to an extensive international network as a member of the LIFE Alumni network upon completion of the programme providing valuable exchange of knowledge and experience

Methodology

The methodology used is based on the assumption that your organisation wishes to carry out changes and is willing to invest own resources to achieve these changes.

The programme builds upon active participation from the participants and the organisations with a strong focus on the sharing of knowledge, practical experience and expertise. Participants are encouraged to continuously relate theoretical and practical knowledge to the opportunities and challenges faced in their own organisations.

The programme employs a mixture of pedagogical methods such as lectures, group work, forum discussions, case studies, study visits and extensive use of ICT to support active learning. The training programme is based on and will be further adjusted to the context in the participants´ own environment and countries.

CHANGE INITIATIVE

The Change Initiative plays an important role in the programme and should address a relevant problem within the scope of the programme. The initiative should be something the participant and his/her organisation want to implement after the end of programme. It could, for example, be a pilot activity regarding the use of ICT as a tool in pedagogical development or formulation of a policy for the use of ICT in education.

The Change Initiative should be planned in line with the Sustainable Development Goals/taking sustainability aspects into consideration. With the help and guidance of experts the participants will create an Action Plan for how to implement the Change Initiative.

Programme Content and Structure

In the introductory phase participants will get an overview of the latest policy landscape; international, regional and national policies and visions for educational systems and lifelong learning. Specific focus will be on the role of ICT in these policies. The participants will make an analysis and compare policies from various countries and organisations at national and local level.

The Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030 will be discussed with special attention to Quality Education and Education for All.

The participants will identify their Change Initiative and be introduced to methods and tools for managing change in education, leadership, processes and evaluation.

The introductory phase will provide knowledge of using ICT to promote new pedagogical approaches in the transition from teaching to learning, as well as knowledge about how to use leadership and communication skills to handle change in the organisation. We will discuss change management and what kind of leadership the sustainability transition requires as well as monitoring and evaluation processes.

The programme includes a phase in Sweden where participants will dive deeper into the various aspects of ICT use in education and pedagogical development. It will be an intense week of exclusive visits to educational institutions with practical examples of ICT integration, presentations from leading educational and sustainability experts, collaboration, group work, discussions, and social activities. The week will strengthen networking in the group, deepen learning and expand the opportunity for collaboration with Sweden and Swedish organisations and educational institutions.

Sweden is ranked #1 in the Global Sustainability Rating (2022), #2 in the Global Innovation Index (2023), and #4 in the Global Connectivity Index (2022).

SWEDEN PHASE

The week in Sweden is September 8-15, 2024. In brief the week in Sweden is planned to consist of:

Sunday

Arrivals to Stockholm and sightseeing.

Monday

Framing the week
Introduction to the Swedish Educational System
Study visit to the Centre for the Advancement of University Teaching (CeUL), Stockholm University
Short round of presentations, information about CeUL and Civis (Europe’s Civic University Alliance), Ed-tech-support- team, AI-activities, digital assessment
Presentations and visit to Active Learning Classrooms and information about Supplemental Instruction (SI) at Stockholm University – an academic support model that uses peer learning to improve university student retention and student success
Welcome dinner with selected key persons

Tuesday

Visit at KTH – Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm

How to run a mathematics course online with 100 000 students
Learning analytics and IT usefulness in education
AI, digital transformation and sustainability
Campus round tour

Wednesday

Full day visit at Campus Kista in the “Silicon Valley of Sweden” and the Department of Computer and System Sciences, Stockholm University

Presentation of Video studios, Supervision, the ThesisPro-system & AI-supervisor and International projects

Thursday

Study visit to a lower level school
ICT in Kindergarten
Useful software for teaching, learning, leadership and management
In-depth session with a leadership expert on strategic change management
Groupwork on Change Initiative
The evening is devoted to innovation with a visit to the Nobel Prize Museum and a networking activity with representatives from educational institutions and companies

Friday

Presentation and workshop:

International and comparative education
Widening participation and inclusive teaching in higher and lower education
Setting strategic goals that will be followed up during the subsequent phase of the programme
A moment reflecting on what we take with us from the week and do appreciation exercises in small groups
Concluding Dinner

Saturday

Sustainability in the daily lives of Swedes. Possibilities for visits to the Technical Museum or other museums in Stockholm.

Sunday

Departures or alternatively extended stay in Sweden at own expense.
Why not see the northern lights and pat a reindeer in the north or go kayaking in the archipelago? Or visit one of our neighboring countries, Norway, Denmark, or Finland?

Participants in Sweden from previous LIFE Academy programme.

The final phase will be a forward looking phase where the focus is on gathering all the knowledge and insights from the introductory phase and the visit in Sweden and using it to create a strategic Action Plan for implementing the Change Initiative in the participants’ organisations. The plan should integrate sustainability aspects and change management.

More presentations, group work and self learning online modules on selected topics, such as:

Open Educational Resources (OER) and Creative Commons
Digitalization – needs, opportunities and challenges
Global Smart Villages in Achieving Sustainable Development – Successful Case Studies.

The final phase will include networking for future interaction and collaboration as well as a programme evaluation and feedback.

“This training programme aims to create action oriented, courageous, and competent educational leaders and managers who have been provided with the right tools, knowledge, skills, motivation, and networks to confidently lead improvements and development of their educational institution in line with the Sustainable Development Goals”

DIPLOMA

Participants who complete the programme will be awarded a diploma. In order to receive a diploma, the following criteria must be met:
a) participation in all phases of the programme,
b) accomplish assignments in due time to the deadlines.

Practical Information

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

The ICT and Pedagogical programme will be organised and conducted in English. Fluency in English is therefore required.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

Owing to the fact that the programme consists of international travels and work away from home in a new environment, good health and full working capacity is conditioned.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

In order to participate fully you need internet access and a computer/smart phone. You will be invited to the online learning management system LIFE Network where you will be required to use certain software to access reading material or video lectures, such as a PDF Reader, Microsoft Power Point presentations, Word, Excel, and YouTube. We recommend that you use Google Chrome as your internet browser as we have found that this is the best browser for the platform. For our online webinars we will be using Zoom.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Applications are assessed on individual and organisational merits. Approximately 30 participants will be selected to each batch of the training programme taking into account that the participants bring diversity to the group through their various backgrounds and professional qualifications.

Once selected, the participants are required to attend all scheduled parts of the programme.

COSTS

The programme fee is 4 300 USD and covers full programme training, study visits and expert coaching activities as well as study programme literature, video lectures and documentation. During the week in Sweden the following is covered:

Single room accommodation (7 nights)
All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, morning and afternoon coffee/tea)
Local transportation in Sweden
Sightseeing, networking events and social and cultural activities

Travel to and from Stockholm, Sweden, visa fee, travel and medical insurance are not included in the programme fee and are expected to be arranged and covered by the participant or their employer at own expense.

VISA

Participants are responsible for obtaining visa if needed for Sweden Week.

INSURANCE

Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel and medical insurance for Sweden Week.

HOW TO APPLY

Last date of application is June 2, 2024. Please find the application form by clicking the button below.

APPLY HERE

The selection starts after the closing date for applications and is expected to be completed a week after the closing date for application. Once the selection has been made, LIFE Academy will contact all applicants. Full payment will be expected to be made by July 1. The programme starts with access to the online learning platform in mid August.

CONTACT

For any enquiry or question you may have, please contact us by email on info@life.se.

Download Programme Brochure

Brochure for the ICT and Pedagogical Development Programme.

Management and Experts in the Programme

The training programme is carried out under the management of LIFE Academy, Karlstad, Sweden. The team of organisers and experts include Swedish and international experts, all with extensive experience within their respective fields. You will among others meet the following.

Bo Gillgren, Managing Director at LIFE Academy

Bo Gillgren has more than 25 years of experience of institutional capacity development, being responsible for planning and implementation of many of LIFE Academy’s advanced international training programmes in sustainable development, covering various focus areas such as ICT, Environmental Management, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. He has extensive experience of working in various cultures in cooperation programs and projects with strategic partners in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Bo Gillgren’s educational background is in Economics at Stockholm School of Economics with focus on international business and development cooperation.

Therese Rosenblad, Project Manager and International
Coordinator at LIFE Academy

Therese Rosenblad is an experienced Project Manager and Process Leader of advanced international training programmes with 20+ years in the field. She has managed programmes with a mixture of key stakeholders from the business-, civil society-, academia-, public-, and financial sector in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Most recently she has been the Project Manager for the Capacity Development Programme on renewable energy for eight African countries and an EU-financed cooperation project with partner organisations from Albania, Kosovo, Italy and Greece.

Vinayagum Chinapah, Professor Emeritus, Stockholm University and Senior Educational Expert at LIFE Academy

Vinayagum Chinapah, Ph D, is now Professor (Emeritus) and former Chair Holder and Director of the Institute of International Education (IIE), Department of Education, Stockholm University, Sweden during the period 2009-2017. He served at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris as Director of the Joint UNESCO-UNICEF Inter-Agency Programme for Monitoring the Quality of Education and Learning Achievement which covered some 80 countries world-wide during the period (1992-2006). He has done research and evaluation, training and supervision, capacity development and consultancies, and high-level educational policy advisory services for several UN agencies (UNESCO, UNICEF. UNDP, FAO); International agencies (The World Bank, OECD); bilateral agencies (Sida, Finnish CIMO, NORAD, CIDA, Commonwealth Secretariat) and for several national governments and institutions in some 145 countries world-wide over the past 45 intensive and collaborative professional years. Professor Chinapah is the 2023 Laureate of the MING YUAN Education Award for his outstanding contributions in the field of International and Comparative Education in China and worldwide.

Henrik Hansson, Professor at Department of Computer and
Systems Sciences at Stockholm University

Henrik Hansson is Professor, Computer and Systems Sciences, PhD in Education and EDEN fellow. He has recognition of professional excellence by the European distance and e-learning network. He is a researcher with experience from research work in more than 30 countries and as coordinator of 17 international projects. Henrik´s research focuses on ICT and education, especially regarding sustainability, inclusion and integration. He has written over 200 publications and supervised more than 300 bachelor and master theses and 10 PhD students. He has been the main lecturer and mentor in LIFE Academy´s previous programmes on ICT and Pedagogical Development, funded by Sida – which consisted of more than 350 Change Projects related to ICT in education in 16 countries.